For 10 years I lived a block away from the Strand book storein the Village. Daily I'd walk my 2 Belgian Sheepdogs, through their "18 miles of books" always looking for new acquisitions and getting rid of old ones. Their artbook floor is mouth-watering. "Rudi" and "Belle" loved books too. They got to curl up with me and my books on the sofa.

I've talked about my watercolor teacher,David,who taught me everything. I met his book first and it's one of the best. Dense with information on color theory, washes, layering, you name it. I'm still yellow marking it up, there's still more to learn. I met Albany Wiseman, a terrific London watercolorist, so I was eager to go to his workshop in Provence two summers ago. As it turned out all I could think of was cups of hot chocolate and not the pink villages perchés everywhere... His books are lovely and informative. I finally got to meet Ian Sidaway, another English watercolorist, at a

I love looking at beautiful cookbooks. Donna Hay has been a big influence on my still life painting. I love her setups, the lighting, the soft shadows, the utter simplicity. Trish Deseine does dreamy cook books too. Who cares about cooking..it's the vicarious looking that gets me.

I'm a bad girl -- I like to "re-design" my books. I move pictures around, cut things out and paste them back in. Kind of personalizing them you could say :) I copy too..I try to paint like someone I like, to see what it feels like. It's one of the best, fastest ways to learn and every artist since the Lascaux cave painters has been doing it.

Now at last I have got my own "Amazon" book store with my most favorite books in it. YAY! It's taken me months. I'm a tiny bit dyslexic. Figuring out HTML code is like drawing perspective in a landscape. I can't seem to get the patterning. A BIG THANK YOU is due R. Chunn, a brilliant painter (literally and figuratively) of Alla-Prima. He helped demystify the codes for me.*Please visit my "new" bookstore. And remember any books you buy go straight into the "macaron jar/fund" so I can keep you all in the style to which I am unaccustomed :)*One word to learn today - Biblioholism, books, of books: the habitual longing to purchase, read, store, admire, and consume books in excess.

21 comments:

Have you ever seen Sara Midda's South of France watercolor book? http://www.amazon.com/Sara-Middas-South-France-Sketch/dp/0894807633/sr=1-2/qid=1161009928/ref=sr_1_2/104-3571946-7679141?ie=UTF8&s=books

Oh now I have to make room for the books you have offered! Brillant way to introduce us to your amazon, personal and real, like bookstores ought to be!! You fill us with such delights Miss PB!! My hands are full with your generosity!Clever clever post!!

i can definitely understand your crush on donna hay. i like her cookbook (i only know one, don't know if there are any others) so much. as far as i know she's the stylist, so the arrangements are hers, in my book the pictures are taken by petrina tinsley. but anyway: her cookbook is an inspiration, calm and beautiful.

You are truly an inspiration. Thanks for sharing what inspires you. I too, am a biblioholic and reading your blog is like reading a few pages a day of your book. Please don't stop!I'm with Jenny, you should do a book.

Jenny Rebecca I was tempted to put Sara Midda's book on my list - I love it! And yes I would love to do a book too :)

Anne You do some beautiful photographs yourself. Donna has done a ton of books plus a magazine. She's definitely been a huge influence in the shelter publicatons and the look of current cookbooks. Plus all those "SIMPLE" books. Still that calm and serenity is very appealing.

Barbara This blog and the feedback it provides has inspired me in more ways than I can say. From painting in almost total isolation to having a real, supportive daily audience is one of the best things that's happened to me. Thank YOU

r.chunn Francis Bacon ripped out 1000s of book pages and some poor conservateur had to catalogue them all when they moved his studio :)

"The Watercolor Book" looks great-I was looking for the perfect Christmas gift for an artistic friend and it looks to be ideal. "Color Mixing Bible" looks intriguing as well. I am a biblioholic as well, always glad to find interesting new (to me) books, so thank you for the recommendations.

I was thinking how much I love your style...I am a francophile and chocoholic, so I was reading here and saw that your dogs names are also my parents' names!! Isobelle and Rudolph...often shortened to Rudy and Belle. So thankful that other studio picture wasn't yours!!!

I bought a book through your link. At least I think I did. I'm not sure if I buy a book that wasn't the one pictured if you still get credit. Anyhow I hope so. Great site. I love your take on France. I'm a diehard bibliophile and Francophile and made my first foray into Provence in 2005. I'd love to go back to the Luberon. Too bad I cannot paint or draw worth beans. I'm jealous of your talent.Well, Vive la France.sarala